Exploring Photography as a Contemplative Practice from a Taoist Perspective

Monday, May 27, 2013

Thoughts on Memorial Day...

The holiest of all holidays

are those kept by ourselves

in silence and apart,

The secret anniversaries of the heart...

-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

This Memorial Day has a special meaning for me since I visited the D-Day beaches in Normandy last summer. I have a profoundly deeper appreciation for my Father, and all the soldiers who sacrificed so much in the cause of freedom.

When I made this photograph of the writing at the visitors center at Omaha Beach I thought I was just recording the words so I could remember them. A man is reflected in the glass at the bottom and I don't recall seeing him as I made the image but it made me think of my Father. He seems to be looking back at me making the photograph. A casual photograph became something quite different. That is how it is with contemplative photography. We think we are
making a photograph of one thing and it turns out to be something we hadn't even imagined. My Father loved photography and always had a camera near to hand and I know he would be proud that I have returned to the medium we both loved.

The American Cemetery at Omaha Beach is breathtaking in its beauty and at the same time heart wrenching in its row after row of white crosses and stars of David. So many lives lost. My Father was one of the lucky ones although he carried the emotional scars of the war with him his whole life until his death in 1998.

On this, America's most solemn day, I am grateful for all the soldiers, past and present, that served and continue to serve this country with dedication and pride. I pray that we can always be a country that is worthy of their sacrifices.

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Welcome to A Photographic Sage!

This blog explores the juncture of contemplative camera work and the search for a way of photographing the world around us through the characteristics of the Taoist sage. For the Contemplative Photographer, the camera is viewed as an extension of a persons heart and mind and the resulting photographs as a visual, and highly personal diary of experience and expression. Where traditional photography focuses on subject and technique, Contemplative Photography makes the connection between meaning and personal experience the over-riding emphasis. This blog will delve into the metaphoric capabilities of the photographic medium. I welcome readers to join in the discussion on Contemplative Photography by posting your comments . Thank you for visiting and enjoy the journey! - Patricia TurnerVisit my Pinterest boards for more inspiration or you can pin these latest ones directly to your boards. - Visit Patricia's profile on Pinterest.

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Field Guide for the Contemplative Photographer

Click on this picture to down load a free PDF of my field guide.

Focusing on Life Blog

My Interview on 365 Days of Inspiration...

Follow the link below to read the interview by Kim Manley Ort on her wonderful blog, 365 Days of Inspiration. Be sure to download your free e-book version of The Field Guide for the Contemplative Photographer above!

The Fertile Rock - The Burren Series

Patricia Turner

I live in an old farmhouse in the mountains of Western Maine with my philosopher in residence, Emerson. (A sweet cat that tolerates my long hours of reading and writing.) When I'm not in Maine I'm traveling the world. Follow my travels on:

A Summer Sojourn to the Hebrides

Click on the picture and see a YouTube video of my color photographs of the Western Isles. The photograph above appeared in the Spring edition of Scottish Life Magazine. A feature article of my black and white images of the Western Isles appeared in the Summer edition. The Fall edition features 7 of my color photographs of South Uist and my photograph is also on the cover! Pick up your copy today, it is a wonderful publication. You can also get back issues on their website...the link is above.